Boat propelling mechanism.



No. 723,333. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

" J. M. STORY.

BOAT PROPELLING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Fz'y.j.

In l/ntoif UNITED; STATES 4 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. STORY, or owosso, MICHIGAN.

BOAT PROPELLING M ECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 723,333, dated'March.24, 1903.

' Application filed May 23, 1902. Serial No- 108,680. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. STORY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Owosso, in

the county of Shiawassee and State of Michigan, have invented new anduseful Improvemen ts in Boat Propellin g Mechanism ,of which thefollowing is a specification.

ample, to screw-propellers for boats, consists 7 generally in theconstruction and arrangement of asystem of driving mechanism wherein thedriving power of the two motors placed at the sides of I thepropeller-shaft is applied thereto through the medium of friction-gearsso arranged as to be readily thrown into or out of driving connection,whereby a relatively short propeller-shaft is employed and the powerapplied near the propeller-wheel, thereby avoiding the torsional strainsand dangers incident to a long shaft with power applied at one endanddelivered at the other, whereby also the initial motive power isapplied through two small high-speed motors, one of which may bedisabled without necessitating the stoppage of the other, the vibrationincident to the reciprocation of a single motor avoided, and variousother incidental advantages attained, which will appear in the subjoineddescription.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of themechanism in a line of vision extending the axis of the propellershaft,omitting the motors; Fig. 2, a plan view of the mechanism complete; Fig.3, a side elevation, and Fig. 4 a detail of the crankshaft controllingthe friction-gear idlers.

Referring now to the drawings, A A designate the supporting-frame,consisting of two beams A,extending in parallel relations across thehull ofthe vessel, upon and across which is mounted in suitable bearingsa the propeller-shaft a, carrying between the beams of thesupporting-frames a friction-wheel a, to which the motive power isapplied.

The means of applying the motive power being duplicates one of the otherat opposite sides, the description of one will apply equally well to theother. l

At the side of the shaft Cb is mounted in parallel relations acrank-shaft I), having a rocking crank or toggle b thereon, from theopposite extremities of which in pivoted yokes b are supported idlerfriction-wheels c 0 adapted to engage rotatively by frictionalperipheral contact with the main frictional wheel a, at pointsequidistant above and below its horizontal axial plane. At the outerextremity of the shaft 1) is attached a lever-' arm Z2 pivotally engagedby the piston-rod p of a cylinder P, whose piston is actuated by wateror oil under pressure controlled by a valve 10.

Beyond and parallel with the shaft 1) is a second shaft d, alsojournaled in bearings upon the frame A A, carrying a frictionwheel (1,bearing peripherally against the intermediate friction-wheelsc. 0 Theinitial motive power is applied to the shaft d either directly or, asshown in the present instance,

through the medium of a spurgear d driven by a spur-pinion 01 upon theshaft (1 of an electric or other motor 61 The modus opcrcmdt' is asfollows: Initial motive power communicated to the shaft (1 is thencetransmitted by means of the frictionridlers c o to the propeller shaft athrough friction-wheel a. The location of the friction-idlers c c atopposite sides of the horizontal axial plane of the shaft a renders itpossible by the toggle arrangement of the mounting to draw the idlers c0 into a frictional contact of ,any desired pressure or to release thecontact entirely and instantly by the operation of the piston 19 andlevers b as controlled by the valve 19.

The ability to disconnect the propellershaft from its motive power is anadvantage peculiar to this construction, whereby when power is shut ofia vessel may continue moving influenced by its momentum with but littledrag of the wheel. This feature of construction also lends itselfadmirably to the operation of a governor or regulatingmechanism toprevent racing of the wheel when raised out of the water by the pitchingof a vessel in a rough sea. In such case the mo IOO tion of the vesselis not impeded by the slowing down of the Wheel revolutions, but isallowed to revolve as influenced by its own momentum until connection isagain made with the motive engine.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States 1. In boat propelling mechanism, the combination of arelatively short propeller-shaft provided with a driven friction-wheel,two motor-shafts arrangedone at each side of the propeller shaft andprovided With corresponding driving friction-wheels, and a pair of idlerfriction-wheels carried at each side of the main shaft in the bightsbetween the main or driven and the opposite driving wheels -said idlersbeing mounted in yokes as part of a toggle-lever system whereby they maybe thrown into or out of engaging contact, substantially as set forth.

2. In boat propelling mechanism, the combination of a propeller-shaft,two motorsarranged at opposite sides thereof respectively andfriction-wheel connections between the motor-shafts and thepropeller-shaft at each side adapted to be thrown independently of eachother into engaging relations, at will, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH M. STORY.

Witnesses:

GILBERT L. TAYLOR, JAY MATTISON.

